Top Design Exit Interview: Kerry

We chat with Kerry (a.k.a. Big Daddy) on what went wrong with his window display, what he's up to now, and the cast member that brought tears to this Southern boy's eyes

How did you feel when you first found out you would be designing a window display for a former Project Runway show star? Were you excited?I was excited because I knew that Wisit [Kerry's partner] had a fashion background, so I thought we probably had that [challenge] in the bag.

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You were designing for Jeffrey, the winner of Project Runway Season Three. His concept was based on the 1982 cult film, Blade Runner. How did you approach your design, considering that you had never seen the movie?That was sort of our downfall. He had a vision but all I could envision was the ice skating movie Blades of Glory! He made a kaleidoscope reference, so I thought about David Hockney [the contemporary British artist known for his photographic collages], and I thought I could work off of that.

Why do you think Jeffrey chose you as the team leader?Right when I mentioned David Hockney, Jeffrey was like, "Yes, that's it." So from that point, I felt like he connected with me and had a vision because of the depth Hockney creates through his photography. He destroys photos and brings them back together to make artwork.

Did you think that you and Wisit worked well together?No. We didn't because Wisit—and he's a great guy—but he started off really slow. He was sort of like the turtle headed for the finish line. At times I felt like Wisit was made my partner to kind of throw me. He wanted to put furniture and fabric in the window—things that are, in my words, froufrou. At one point, he actually brought furniture into the window and I told him, "No furniture. It's gotta go."

Do you wish you'd been stronger in expressing your ideas?Yes. I did toward the end of the project but by then it was too late. I kept thinking that because of his fashion background that maybe he was seeing it differently. I wanted to do square cutouts [of wallpaper] which coordinated with the mirrors to give it depth, instead of wallpapering whole walls. Once it was put up, you could see it overpowered the window. At times I was so frustrated, I wished I had a can of spray paint, because I would have graffitied the whole thing.

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Tell me why you decided to black out two of the windows.As far as blacking out the windows, I felt like it was the closest thing we could get to the look that Jeffrey wanted. During Jeffrey's second visit, he said that he wanted a concaved wall but we didn't have the wood to do it. As an alternative, Wisit suggested blacking out the windows and at the time, I thought that was a great idea because we would at least focus on the center panel right behind the outfit.

How did you feel about the finished window?I was totally disappointed in the finished window. It wasn't anything that I envisioned from the get-go. I would have liked to see a lot more textures. I originally picked out some really funky papers to create a collage behind that outfit, but I didn't use them because Jeffrey said he didn't like them. I wish I would have gone ahead and used the papers and just shocked him! It would have been much better than what the end result was.

When asked who should get the blame, you took full responsibility. Do you think that's why you got sent home?I know the "name of the game" is to sometimes throw people under the bus, but I'm just not that way. If I'm a team leader, then I'm responsible for the end result. As bad as I hated to say it, and as much as it hurt, I had to take full responsibility for my actions because, in the end, it was my responsibility.

What's been going on since you've been back in Atlanta?My business has doubled, and I've actually taken on a business partner. She has a lot of strengths in new construction, so we call ourselves "Practical and Pretty." She's practical, and I'm pretty. I actually met with a guy last week about designing a line of accessories—B.D.—that's Big Daddy, accessories.

Are people back home starting to treat you like a star?Just these last two weeks, I've had a lot of people walk up to me. I was in a lighting store in South Carolina, and the lady who was the lighting consultant called the whole staff over because I was there—so that's my 15 seconds of fame. It's been fun. It really has truly been a blast.

Of the designers still in the running for the "Top Design," who are your favorites?I think my two favorite designers were Ondine, because she had a really great unusual eye for wall coverings and textiles, and Eddie. His sense of humor was off the chain at times. We actually roomed together. Sometimes I would cry myself to sleep laughing so hard. Just in the time that I was around him, I gained a great appreciation for older and smaller things. I mean, literally, the guy brings a bag full of silver trinkets on this trip, and he just lays them out in the room. A whole bag of silver trinkets! I brought a picture of my Mom.